Jody Wagner
The Democrat: Virginia's 2nd
Congressional District

Democrat Jody Wagner doesn't have her opponent's political background or military ties -- and that's exactly what she hopes will help her win the House seat from Virginia's 2nd district.

Billing herself as a "citizen candidate," the 45-year-old Wagner is drawing on experience from community activities and the business world in her bid for the seat being vacated by retiring fellow Democrat Owen B. Pickett. The district includes Virginia Beach and parts of the city of Norfolk, Va.

Originally from Canton, Ohio, Wagner graduated from Northwestern University in 1977 and received a law degree from Vanderbilt in 1980. She is a partner with the law firm of Kaufman and Canoles, specializing in securities and banking law. She was named a "mover and shaker" in the business community by the Hampton Roads Business Journal and is a co-founding director of the Virginia Venture Capital Forum, a group founded to help create new businesses and share business ideas. She is married, has four children, and resides in Virginia Beach.

Wagner said she supports eliminating the so-called marriage penalty tax and the inheritance tax. She advocates using the budget surplus to pay down the national debt and says government should make health care more affordable for senior citizens. She supports abortion rights and increased funding for education and the military.

"We've taken the peace dividend too far," Wagner said, during a campaign appearance opposite her opponent, Republican state senator Edward Schrock. Wagner said the government should spend more to improve morale and military equipment.

Many watching the race say Wagner faces an uphill battle, fighting a relatively well-known opponent in a Republican-leaning district. As her campaign moved into early October, Wagner continued to pressure her opponent for formal face-to-face debates to allow voters to see the differences between their platforms.